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Stetler trial: Who are the main characters?

Updated:
06/20/2012 04:33:41 PM EDT

A quick look at the names and faces of those at the center of the Stephen Stetler trial:

Stephen Stetler, of York, was charged in 2009 with conflict of interest, theft by unlawful taking or disposition, theft of services, theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, and criminal conspiracy. Stetler is a former Democratic representative for the 95th District and former state revenue secretary. His lawyer said Stetler had not broken any laws under the U.S. Constitution. He was secretary of revenue when he was charged and stepped down the day the Attorney General's office released the grand jury presentment against him.

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Michael Sprow, Senior Deputy Attorney General, and the lead prosecutor in the case. Expects it will take a week to present his case.

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Joshua Lock, Stetler's defense attorney. He has called the prosecution's charges "paper thin."

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Judge Todd Hoover, the president judge for Dauphin County Common Pleas Court, and the judge who will hear the Stetler case. Hoover will also hear the upcoming cases against former Penn State officials Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, who face charges related to the Jerry Sandusky case.

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John Paul Jones, a Dallastown native and a staffer for former Rep. Stephen Stetler, Jones was mentioned in a grand jury presentment released in December 2009 as having been assigned by Stetler to work on John Brenner's campaign for York mayor. Jones, a graduate of Dallastown Area High School and York College, and his lawyer have declined to comment.

In December 2009, York Mayor-elect Kim Bracey said Jones worked for the Harrisburg-based WS Group, which she hired for campaign work such as mailings and photography during her bid for mayor. The organization billed her campaign for the work. Jones has worked on the campaigns of other prominent Democrats in York County, including state Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-West Manchester Township, and county Commissioner Doug Hoke. Chris Ferro, Jones' attorney, also has declined to comment.

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Cameron Texter, of York, is a House Democratic aide. The former York City Council president is mentioned in a grand jury presentment as an opposition researcher and as being on a 2006 "campaign bonus list" in the Bonusgate cases. In an interview in 2007, Texter said he used personal days or vacation time when he did opposition research.

First elected to city council in 2001, Texter served as president 2004-2008 and previously served on the city school board.

Texter was prepared to testify Tuesday, but was not called then or Wednesday.

On Wednesday in court, witnesses and defense attorney Joshua Lock described Texter as one of the "true believers" - a group of legislative staffers who volunteered to do opposition research for the House Democratic Campaign Committee before caucus members started receiving large bonuses for doing so.